Vacuum breaker



March 20, 1956 J. J. GOODRIE VACUUM BREAKER Filed Dec. 14, 1953 IZENTOR. 3Y5

A TTO/PNE Y- ni S tes Patent Ofiice 2,738,798 Patented Mar. 20, 1956 VACUUM BREAKER Joseph J. Goodrie, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Wrightway Engineering Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 14, 1953, Serial No. 398,081 Y 1 Claim. (Cl. 137-216) 2,151,200, dated March 21, 1939.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a vacuum breaker which will prevent undesirable back siphoning of water from toilet bowls and the like into the fresh water line of buildings, particularly tall buildings, which back siphoning often occurs if the water pressure is cut off or diminished for repairs, or on account of accidents, or for some other reason.

It is a well-known fact that contamination of drinking water due to back siphoning from the toilet bowls has in many instances occurred, and causes considerable sickness, attacks of dysentery and other epidemics.

One of. the important objects of this invention is the provision of a vacuum breaker which will positively prevent any such undesirable back siphoning, and which will, at the same time, allow of the necessary and required flow of water for toilet flushing purposes, and without any undesirable back splashing or leakage.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure l is an elevation of a section of pipe having the improved vacuum breaker of my invention installed therein. This pipe may or may not be used in connection with the toilet bowl, and many other uses of the device will be apparent.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure of Figure 1, showing important details of the invention.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the unitary insert which comprises the essential element of this invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 4, looking in the direction indicated.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral indicates generally the easing of the improved vacuum breaker of this invention, which is essentially a cylindrical section of pipe or the like adapted to be fitted into a length of water or other conduit, and which, when installed, will serve to eifectively break any vacuum or back siphoning action which may occur in the pipe.

The most numerous applications of the invention probably comprise installations in connection with toilet bowls in buildings of more than three or four stories in height, where the toilet bowls are flushed by direct pressure from the water main rather than by way of tanks.

In this instance, an inlet pipe 12 from the source of i 2 water supply is indicated in Figure 1, having a connecti0n-14 to the toilet bowl or other appurtenance. The vacuum breaker 10 of this invention is adapted to be inserted in the pipe by means of couplings or unions 16. This insertion is usually made adjacent the toilet bowlor other fitting so that immediate and positive breaking of any vacuum or siphon will result.

As best-shown in Figure 2, a number of air inlet ports 18 are cut or otherwise made in the casing 10 of the vacuum breaker, and just above theseair inlet ports there is provided a shoulder 20.

A perforated disc 22 rests upon this shoulder andis rather closely fitted into the corresponding interior portion of the casing 10.

Another shoulder 24 is formed in the interior of the casing 10 at a point below the air ports 18, and a second perforated disc 26 is mounted on this shoulder.

The discs are connected by rod, rivet or screw 28.and spaced apart the desired distance by means of an annular sleeve or spacer 30, as best shown in Figure 5.

The upper disc 22 for most purposes is approximately one sixteenth of an inch thick, and the lower disc is approximately one fourth of an inch thick. These dimensions are rather critical and the proportions must be adhered to even though the size varies.

A number of openings 32, preferably eight in number, is formed in the upper disc 22, these being circularly disposed and approximately midway between the center of the disc and its periphery. For the ordinary installation, these openings 32 are preferably one eighth of an inch in diameter.

A similar number of openings 34 is formed in the lower disc 26, these preferably being in alignment with the openings 32 in the upper disc. These openings are approximately three sixteenths of an inch in diameter at their top, but taper to a fraction more than one eighth of an inch in diameter at the bottom.

All of the above described dimensions are more or less critical, but it will be remembered that they are also proportioned, and the size must be varied if a larger volume of water is passed through the cylinder or casing 19.

In operation, the casing 10 with its one-piece insert comprising the spaced perforated discs 22 and 26, is fitted into the water line 12-14 in any convenient manner.

The size and relative proportions of the openings in the discs and the relative thicknesses thereof are such that sufficient Water will pass through the fitting for ordinary toilet flushing purposes, or for other uses, and there will be no danger of any water splashing out through the air ports 18. The streams of water passing through the openings in the upper disc will strike directly into the flared or tapered openings 34 in the lower disc, providing a sufficient volume, and at the same time producing an aspirating effect wherein quite a quantity of air is drawn in through the ports 18 which, when mixed with the water, produces a better oxidizing action on the contents of the toilet bowl or other fitting.

The device, with little or no variation except possibly as to size and proportions of openings, can be used in many other environments, such as laundry trays, acid tanks, various hospital fixtures, submerged fittings of all types, and will operate adequately and satisfactorily even with rather high back pressures.

It Will be noted that it is simple of construction, cannot possibly get out of order, can be easily installed and at a minimum cost.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated prior art.

I claim as my invention:

A vacuum breaker comprising a casing, air inlet ports in. the casing, two'internal shouldersv in the casing, one above and one below the airports, two periiorated' discs inthe casing, one mountedon each shoulder, the lower disc being of a lesser diameter than the upper disc and approximately four times the thickness thereof, the openings in the discs being in alignment and those in the upper disc being. smaller than. thosev in the lower disc, the openings in the lower disc beingtapered and larger at the top, the smaller dimension of said. openings in. the lower disc being slightly larger than: that of the openings inthe upper disc and spacing and tastening means con necting the. two discs for operating contact with their by the rivet respective shoulders, said spacing and fastening means comprising. a rivet and a sleeve surrounding the positioned between the discs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 991,671 Thurman "a May 9, 2,098,885 Safford Nov. 9, 2,161,204 Shanl'ey' June 6, 2,277,878 Morris Mar. 31, 2.288.247 Kunstorif Iune 30,, 2,510,395 Goodrie June 6, 2,510,396 Goodrie June 6, 2,559,405 Crevatin July 3, 2,633,343 Aghnides Mar. 31, 2,670,942 Aghnides Mar. 2, 

